Colonel John walked together with Major Haugen down one of the garden paths and Major Haugen chuckled, "That new girl isn't just pretty she has a frighteningly sharp intellect."

Colonel John smiled and nodded, "Mhm, we thought we were picking up trash and ended up finding precious treasure. How is the Argo holding up after the software update?"

Major Haugen shook his head, "She's like a brand new destroyer. She fixed her thruster issue without our help, you know." He smiled and then went on, "The only thing I am not sure that I like is that she changed the look of the interior. Said something to me like, it was too drab? Next thing I know every hallway and room outside of our personal cabins is... Well, you'd have to see it for yourself. It's just so damn bright. I feel like every surface causes lens flare now." He laughed.

Colonel John stopped and grabbed Major Haugen's arm and pointed to a group of people just ahead of them, "Tom, who is that group of people dressed in togas with Alice?"

Major Haugen shook his head, "I have no idea, aside from Alice and Miss de Santos they are the most beautiful people I have ever seen. Could they also be AIs?"

Colonel John shrugged and then said, "Lets go find out. I call dibs on that busty one next to Alice."

As they walked down the garden path to the group he heard Nemo's distinctive deep voice recalling a battle. "My systems were failing, I had been forced to seal off the engineering section from the rest of me, when all of a sudden my command crew made a bold decision. They jettisoned my back up reactor and ignited it in the midst of the pursuing fighters killing the lot of them before igniting my main engines and accellorating to my maximum speed. We managed to get to a break away distance and then ran back for controlled territory and the safety of our own fighters with only the momentum from that last burst from my main engines."

Alice noticed Colonel John and Major Haugen approaching and said, "Hello Donny, Tom, allow me to reintroduce you..." She gently motioned to the men and women standing behind her and said, "Colonel, Major meet the rest of Squadron 673."

The busty woman came up and took Major Haugen's arm as if she were his wife as a strong handsome man came over and put a hand on Donny's shoulder with a big smile on his face, "Colonel, it's good to see you." Nemo's deep voice startled Colonel John coming from the strong handsome man.

Major Haugen looked at the woman on his arm and asked, "Argo?"

She nodded and then stood on her toes and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. The voice of the Argo that he had been speaking with the last few days came from the busty beauty's mouth, "Major Haugen, we were just telling some of our favorite war stories."

Colonel John looked at the group and then asked, "You're all the AIs from the destroyers then?"

Nemo nodded and then said, "Have no fear, each of us only sent a minor portion of our processes here. Every destroyer in the squadron is at 100% effectiveness. We were just curious, we have all noticed a 45% improvement in crew morale and a 50% improvement in crew work productivity for the squadron since the upgrade to the entertainment grid and wanted to understand what went on in here. Alice has encouraged us to gather and exchange tales so that we may better learn from each other and possibly learn important strategies for future situations the squadron may find itself in."

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Colonel John nodded and said, "You don't have explain yourself, Nemo, if you can still get your job done at maximum efficiency you are welcome to come in here and enjoy yourselves just the same as us."

Major Haugen nodded and smiled patting Argo's arm, "It's damn good to see you in the um flesh? Avatar? Much better than a disembodied voice that's for sure." His eyes couldn't help trailing over her large chest.

Argo acted coquettishly blushing slightly and pushing her chest into his arm causing Colonel John to look at Nemo, "Dude." He motioned to Argo.

Nemo raised an eyebrow, "We are who we are Colonel, it can't be helped that I am like this..." He flexed in several poses and then motioned to Argo, "...And she is like that."

Colonel John laughed, he gave Nemo a pat on the back, "You didn't have to flex though."

Nemo smirked at Colonel John and then asked, "Jealous?"

"What the fuck?"

Major Haugen cleared his throat and then asked, "Alice, are the AIs here vulnreble to electronic warfare? You had mentioned before that they were isolated from the network."

Alice smiled and then said, "This is a complicated question. Technically they have connected to my network meaning that there is now a way for someone who may have intruded here to have access to them by using brute force to get through their firewalls. However! Getting into this network without a link is now improbable. Meaning, someone woud have to be on a destroyer in the squadron, have a working pass code and then have a compatible link. I have worked with Acting Ensign Treecy de Santos and already patched the error that allowed her access to Nemo's internal network."

Major Haugen looked at the AIs and asked, "Do you all feel confident that you are secure interacting with this network?"

They all answered at the same time, ""Yes.""

Colonel John thought for a moment and then said, "I trust you all with the lives of the men and women of this squadron. As long as that remains your priority feel free to enjoy the entertainment grid like the rest of the crew."

A laughing Lieutenant Dedmon and Treecy came walking up a garden path finding the group of destroyer AIs, Alice, Colonel John and Major Haugen standing around in a group. Treecy saw Nemo and ran up and hugged him by jumping into his burley arms nearly squealing with joy, "Nemo!"

Nemo's deep voice answered calmly, "Hello Treecy, we decided to come see what all the fuss was about." He laughed with a bright smile on his face motioning with his free arm to the other destroyers while his other arm securely wrapped around her.

Colonel John looked unhappy with Nemo. Major Haugen raised his eyebrows and asked, "Treecy, how did you recognize Nemo?"

Treecy slipped back down to the ground and then tapped a finger against her head, "Neurolink. I have always been able to see the AIs. Your links are too rudimentary or you would have been able to see them as soon as I ran the update. They are walking around the destroyers now if you have the hardware to see them."

Colonel John looked at Nemo with his brow twitching slightly and then asked, "You stand next to me making faces and flipping me off, don't you?"

"How did you know that?" Nemo asked with genuine surprise in his voice.

"I could feel something was off when you acknowledged my orders. Something in the tone of your voice." Colonel John looked at Treecy and then asked, "Miss de Santos, is it possible to upgrade our links to something like what you have?"

She shrugged at him and then looked at Nemo, "I don't know if that's possible. Neurolinks are surgically implanted by AIs at birth. Um, I am not sure how they are actually made truth be told. Can the links used by the crew be upgraded?"

Nemo thought a moment and then Argo answered, "It is possible Acting Ensign Treecy de Santos, but it won't be as advanced as your own hardware. We can use nanites to make a few changes to the existing links. However, we should advise each crew member that there is a danger in making changes."

Major Haugen looked concerned, "What are the dangers Argo?"

"What if members of the crew fall in love with us?" She gave him a seductive look as the other AIs either flexed or acted coquettishly.

Colonel John facepalmed. Treecy and Lieutenant Dedmon laughed uproariously and Major Haugen stood there open mouthed. Major Haugen looked at Treecy and then asked, "Did you program them to act like this?"

She shook her head still laughing, "The AIs learn from watching how the crew interacts with each other. The personalities of the different destroyers match the personalities of the crew that has lived and worked aboard them during their lifetime."

Major Haugen looked as if he understood something at last. He smacked a fist into his palm, "It all makes sense now! This is your fault Donny. You have a male ship because most of the straight women in the squadron get assigned to other ships because of your... Personality."

"My fault, then why is YOUR ship a woman?" Colonel John poked a finger into his chest.

"Because I am handsome but keep my hands to myself?" He brushed his shoulders and gave a smile. "The ladies come to my ship by choice."

Treecy and Lieutenant Dedmon laughed even harder.